How to fix "Operation cannot be performed because message has been changed" message. when using Outlook and Gmail.

Anonymous
2020-04-21T11:53:43+00:00

Over the last two years, I have been using Outlook 2013, now Office 365. I've been experiencing an ongoing issue where I receive this message "Operation cannot be performed because message has been changed" message.  Typical scenarios: 1) A new email arrives in my Outlook inbox. I preview, or read the email. I attempt to delete the email. Operation cannot... message appears.  I either type a new email, or reply to an email, go on to another task leaving the draft until later. When I return to the draft email, complete the email, and attempt to send the email, Operation cannot... message appears. I also cannot even save the draft, same error message. This is the worst part of this bug, as I've wasted/lost the time effort spent on the draft email.

I have run the Office repair utilities. I have tried unchecking the email cleanup boxes, and a variety of fixes recommended on these Microsoft answers communities. I've noticed sometimes when I come back to a message, it does allow me to move/delete the message. It's like there's a sync issue that needs time to resolve. However, nothing appears to work when a draft message gets hung in this loop. I have to start over with a new reply email.

Outlook | Windows | Classic Outlook for Windows | For home

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  1. Anonymous
    2021-01-30T23:53:13+00:00

    No, moving to another folder and back makes no difference.

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  2. Anonymous
    2021-01-31T22:13:45+00:00

    9 times out of 10, keep the e-mail open, go to the drafts in box and delete the draft version. Go back to the open e-mail and send. It works and is a blessing (that shouldn't be be necessary of course).

    Unbelievable that this has not been resolved by microsoft.

    LA

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  3. Anonymous
    2021-02-01T16:39:42+00:00

    Thanks LA

    Your suggestion tested and works fine.

    But the "9 times out of 10" worries a little.

    GeorgeV

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  4. Anonymous
    2021-02-03T01:16:50+00:00

    The 1 out of 10 times I have to revert back to copying and pasting into a fresh e-mail and haven't figured out yet why the 1 in 10 occurs.

    Yep - we seem to live in a world of 'workarounds', a trendy word used to excuse software floors. They cost us time, which defeats the point and definitely NOT what we're sold at outset of course. Many of these floors are stunningly fundamental and mostly in my experience, on the online softwares that we use nowadays. Feels like we are being pushed into online convenience at the expense of desktop functionality, not to mention far higher ongoing subscription fees as opposed to one off license purchases that lasted for years.

    There's my moan for the day. Maybe..!

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  5. Anonymous
    2021-02-03T02:52:26+00:00

    Hi LA

    I hit the 1 in ten late evening today.

    Delete the draft, went back to the open email and it was not there.

    Ah well, I will still continue with your method

    Feeling safer now that I had my 1 in 10

    STAY SAFE

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